Apparatus for cleansing medical spittoons.



L. 'LHIBMB & M. GLKSER. APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING MEDICAL SPITTOONS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-8. 1909.

962,931. Patented June 28,1910.

LUIDWIG 'rnrnmn Ann MAX GLAsEn, OF-ADORF, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING MEDICAL SPITTOONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed January 8,-1909. Serial No. 471,358.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LUDWIG THIiaME and MAXYGLKSER, subjects of the German Emperor, residing at Adorf, in the Province of Vogtland, in Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleansing Medical spittoons, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is an apparatus for automatically emptying and cleansing medical spittoons, such as used in sanatoria or hospitals by the sick for reception of expectoration. Up to the present, the nurses or other oflicials stood in great danger of contagion when 0pening,- clearing and cleansing sa1d spittoons owing to the ex peotoration or saliva containing noxious germs. By the'present invention this danger is obviated since the s ittoons or receptacles are closed -by the sic person and placed cover downward on a tray or basket which after being filled is passed into a completely closed mechanically driven device, in which the receptacles are opened in an automatic manner and emptied, cleansed and disinfected.

An embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, of

- which vFigure l is a vertical section of the apparatus, Fig. 2 a plan View and Figs. 3 and 4 detail views of the drivingmechanism. Fig. 5 a' perspective view showing a spittoon or receptacle as it is retained on the perforated tray.

1 designates the generally known spittoons or receptacles, the covers 2 of which are under spring pressure and heldclosed by a snap fastening. The said receptacles are placed bythe s1ck persons with the'closed cover downward on a perforated tray 4 and \y when said tray is filled or charged with the I so desired number of receptacles a cover-plate 5 is placed over the upwardly directed bases of the receptacles, and secured by means of bolts 6 and wing-nuts 6 to the tray L The bottles may however be secured in any other convenient manner. The tray is thereupon conveyed to the cleansing device, placed upon a spindle or shaft 7, and connected thereto by suitable means such as 'a key 8'. The, shaft 7 is mounted in'a' trough 9 and carries at its lower end below said trough a bevel Wheel 10 with which meshes another bevel wheel 11, mounted on the shaft 12. Rotary motion is thus im arted to the tray 4 during which the bott e fasteners 3 are caused to enga e rollers 13 disposed in their path, said rollers being mounted on sup,- ports 14 located in the trough 9. As shown, the diameter of the spittoons or receptacles at a portion thereof is greater than the diameter of the perforations in tray, hence as the spittoons are placed in the perforations a portion of such spittoons will abut against the walls of the perforations and be retained in the perforations, as best shown Patented June 28, 1910.

in Fig. 5. We do not limit our invention to this specific construction of the parts as any suitable means maybe employed to accomplish the same result. By such engagement,

of the fasteners 3 with the rollers 13 (or with pins or the like), said fasteners are acted upon to release the covers 2 which thereupon spring open and the contents of the receptacles flow into the'trough 9-. At

is moment, the rotary movement of the :haft 12 and consequently of the spindle7' is arrested and a stoppage occurs the duration of which may be for say one half to two minutes more or less. This interruption of the movement and re -starting of 1 same is effected by the following means. The shaft 18 journaled at points 16 audl-Y and driven by a worm wheeli15 and worm 15* loosely carries a sleeve 19 provided with a curved groove 20 extending around its clrcumference. In said groove engages a pin 21 to which is connected on one hand a lever 23 fulcrumed at 22 (Fig. 3) and on the other hand a bar 24 adapted to actuatea coupling or clutch member 25 connected thereto and 'slidable on the end 7 of the member 28, which forms together with the number 25 the complete friction clutch shown in Fig. 1 in a disengaged condition, so that the shaft 12, spindle 7 .and tray dare at rest. When the required interval'of rest is completed the pin 21 engaging the groove 20 displaces the bar 24, the latter being guided by a screw 39 extending through the bracket 38. The said bar 2% forces the clutch member against the conical member 28 whereby the shaft 12 is put in rotation and drives the spindle 7. By this'rotation other closed receptacles are brought. in contact with the rollers 13 and are opened as previously explained. The clutch is then again disengaged and a further stoppage occurs. The receptacles first opened have in the meantime passed over nozzles 29, which during the stoppage discharge steam or hot water or a disinfectant into the receptacles. At the next stoppage the receptacles may pass over further nozzles 30, so that repeated injections into the receptacles of the same or different liquids can take place.

The introduction of the water, steam or the like is regulated by two slides or valves 31, adaptedto be operated by an extension of the lever 23, aforesaid, said lever being connected to the slides by links 32 and the of the I required more than two series of nozoperation taking place when the lever 23 is moved by the pm 21 worln'ng in the groove 20 before referred to. It is possible by means of a system of tubes 33 provided with differently directed nozzles or jet openings 33 and provided at the upper part of the casing 34 above the tray 4 to cleanse the ex-- terior of the bottles in such a manner "that all parts of the surface are dealt with. Tubes 33 are adapted to be connected at 33 to any suitable source of water supply (not shown).

' The expectoration and the cleansing liquid flow away through a drain pipe 35 and' may if desired be passed to boiler or other apparatus in which the germs are destroyed. When the tray 4 has completed a revolution, the attendant is informed thereof by an electric contact, device 36 adapted to sound a bell in connection therewith and further the driving ,power can be simultaneously out off by a suitable switch device (not shown) which may be operated bycontact .pin 36 of the tray striking against the arm If zles may be arranged so that each receptacle is washed several times. The tray et with the cleaned bottles is then removed and another filledtray' placed on the spindle. The casing 34 ma be closed by a cover 37.

What we 0 aim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: j

1. Apparatus for the'purpos'e set forth comprising a closable casing, a removable and rotatable tray therein for supporting closed receptacles in inverted condition, means whereby the receptacles are opened duringtherotation of the tray and the contents discharged, means for periodically stopping and-re-starting the rotary moveeeaeai ment of the tray and means for injecting liquids into the opened receptacles during periods of rest thereof.

2. Appara'tus for the purpose set forth c'omprislng a closable casing, a removable and rotatable tray therein for supporting closed receptacles in inverted condition, means whereby the receptacles are opened during the rotation of the tray and the contents discharged, means for periodically stopping and -re-starting the rotary movement of the tray, means for injecting liquids into the opened receptacles during periods of rest thereof and means located above the tray for directing jets of liquid on to the exterior of rthe receptacles.

3. Apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a closable casing with a trough at the base thereof, a discharge from said trough, a rotatable spindle located in the casing, a removable tray adapted to engage and rotatewith said spind closed receptacles in inverted condition, de-

e and receive vices disposed in the paths of the receptacles whereby the latter are opened during the rotation of the tray and the contents discharged into the trough, means for periodicallystopping and starting the rotary movement of the spindle, means for injecting liq-- uids into the opened receptacles and means controlled by the aforesaid stopping and replace during the periods of rest of the spindle.

4. Apparatus for the purpose set forth starting means whereby such injection takes comprising a closable caslng with a trough at the base thereof, a-discharge from said trough, a rotatable .spindle located in the casing, a removable tray ada ted to engage and rotate with said spindle and receive closed receptacles in inverted condition, devices disposed in the paths of the receptacles whereby the latter are opened during the rotation of the tray and the contents discharged into the trough, means for periods.

ically stopping and starting the rotary movement ofthe spindle, comprising a two-part driving shaft, clutch members disposed casing,'a removable tray adapted to engage and rotate with said spindle and receive closed receptacles in inverted condition, de-

v1ces disposed in the paths of the receptacles whereby the latter are opened during the rotation of the tray, and the contents discharged into the trough, means for periodically stopping and starting the rotary movement of the spindle, means for injecting liquids into the opened receptacles, means controlled by the aforesaid stopping and restarting means whereby such injectiontakes place during the periods of rest of the spin dle, means located above the tray for directing jets of liquid onto the exterior of the recepta'cles and an electric contact engaged on a'complete revolution of the tray aforesaid for the purposes set forth,

In "witness whereof We have signed this 15 specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

LUDWIG THIEME. MAX GLASER.

Witnesses Ko'rrn, RUDoLF MARTIN. 

